法華經義記 3.43

3.43

「我說是方便」，自此下三行是第二正開言是方便之教，就中且有二者：第一言「我說是方便」有兩偈，先開上聲聞、緣覺三乘教是方便，言昔日是真實、今日是方便。第二言「我此九部法」一偈倒開上人天二乘教亦是方便，故說是人天等經根本本為大故，言入大乘為本，以故說是經。「有佛子心淨」，此下三行半偈是第二別出三乘中大乘之人，教中亦有二：初有一行半偈先出三乘中大乘人教，「說是大乘教」者，是昔日三乘中之大乘非今日大乘，第二二行偈正開是方便自有二：初「我記如是人」下一行半略記成佛，第二「佛知彼心行」下半行正開是方便，佛知彼心行為說三乘中之大乘也。

'I explain these as skilful means': from this below, the three lines are the second, directly opening and stating that they are teachings of skilful means; within this there are for now two: first, saying 'I explain these as skilful means', there are two verses, first opening the above three-vehicle teachings of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas as skilful means, stating that in former days they were real, while today they are skilful means. Second, saying 'My nine divisions of dharma', one verse reverses to open the above two-vehicle teachings of humans and devas as also being skilful means; hence preaching these scriptures of humans, devas, etc., was fundamentally for the sake of the Great, hence it says 'entering the Great Vehicle is the fundamental', and for this reason these scriptures were preached. 'There are sons of the Buddha whose minds are pure': from this below, the three and a half lines of verse are the second, separately setting forth the people of the Great Vehicle within the three vehicles; within the teaching there are also two: first, there is one and a half lines of verse first setting forth the people and teaching of the Great Vehicle within the three vehicles; 'preaching this Great Vehicle teaching' refers to the Great Vehicle within the former three vehicles, not today's Great Vehicle; second, the two lines of verse directly open it as skilful means, which itself has two parts: first, from 'I bestow predictions on such people' down for one and a half lines, briefly predicting their attainment of Buddhahood; second, from 'The Buddha knows their mental conduct' down for half a line, directly opening it as skilful means, the Buddha knowing their mental conduct and preaching the Great Vehicle within the three vehicles for them.